British Death Row Inmate Lindsay Sandiford Released from Bali Prison
Lindsay Sandiford, a 69-year-old British woman who spent over a decade on death row in Indonesia, was seen leaving Kerobokan Prison in Bali during an official handover ceremony. She covered her face with her hand as she was wheeled out by staff, preparing to return to the United Kingdom after avoiding execution.
Sandiford, once a legal secretary, was convicted of smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine into Bali. After 13 years in prison, she is said to be in poor health. Officials arranged for her transfer to Denpasar International Airport, where she was expected to meet British Ambassador Dominic Jeremy before boarding a UK-funded flight home.
“More than a decade in one of the world's worst prisons has taken its toll on her and she wants nothing more than to get back to the UK,” a source told Mirror.
Her ticket reportedly cost £600, with the journey to London Heathrow lasting around 20 hours. According to authorities, Sandiford was accompanied by another British inmate, 35-year-old Shabab Shahabadi, who was serving a life sentence for drug offences and was also reported to be unwell.
Transfer and Repatriation Process
- Sandiford and Shahabadi departed from Kerobokan Prison earlier in the afternoon.
- Both inmates were driven to Denpasar International Airport under official escort.
- The pair were handed over to British diplomatic representatives before departure.
Officials emphasized Sandiford’s weakened condition and her strong wish to reunite with her family after enduring what many describe as one of Asia’s harshest penal institutions.
Author’s summary: After 13 years on Indonesia’s death row, Lindsay Sandiford finally left Bali’s Kerobokan Prison in frail health, bound for the UK on a government-chartered flight.